There was yet another victory for France in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot as Big Rock delivered a devastating display on Qipco British Champions Day.
Often the bridesmaid when racing at the highest level this year, the son of Rock Of Gibraltar had finished second in the Prix du Jockey Club, Prix Jacques le Marois and Prix du Moulin in his last three starts.
However, Christopher Head’s brilliant colt finally got his moment in the spotlight, making every yard in the one-mile Group One feature.
Immediately taking his customary position at the head of proceedings, his rivals were left chasing shadows as big-race jockey Aurelien Lemaitre kept upping the tempo.
Having built up a healthy lead, it was Dermot Weld’s Tahiyra who decided to break cover from the pack first, with Chris Hayes setting the Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine in pursuit.
But there was no catching Big Rock (5-1) who kept on galloping in the rain-softened ground to register an emphatic six-length success and also lead home a French one-two, as Jerome Reynier’s Facteur Cheval stayed on past a tiring Tahiyra in the dying strides to grab the silver medal.
Short-priced favourite Paddington beat only two home, one of those being 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean.
Sam James enjoyed his biggest day in the saddle, with Poptronic all heart to deliver a surprise victory in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.
A winner of the Lancashire Oaks earlier in the season, Karl Burke’s four-year-old was sent off at an unfancied 22-1 after disappointing in Group One company the last twice.
However, she showed her quality on British Champions Day and having been to the fore throughout in the hands of James – who was striking at Group One level for the first time – she had plenty in the tank as those from a positions further back presented a stern challenge in the closing stages.
Both eventual second Bluestocking and the 3-1 favourite Jackie Oh in third stayed on stoutly to push Poptronic all the way inside the final half-furlong, but they could not get by the gutsy northern raider, who finished a neck clear at the winning post. Frankie Dettori had to settle for fifth place with Free Wind.
William Buick has conceded that despite retaining his champion jockey title, this season has been “different”.
Having claimed his first championship last year with a plethora of Group One victories, his main Charlie Appleby stable had a much quieter time of things this summer.
That did not stop Buick storming to another title, but it meant he spread his net far and wide in the search of winners as he cruised to victory over Oisin Murphy, with a strike-rate of over 20 per cent.
Buick said: “Retaining the championship has been a real highlight, but it has been a very different season, no season is the same, when you set the bar high the expectations are there. Even though the season has been different, my ambition was to retain the championship and work hard for it, which I have done.
“Last year I had lot of good winners including Classics and this year has been slightly different, but none the less this season has been a success.
“I have had lot of domestic and international rides, which are never an easy thing to balance when going for a championship, but like last year I have managed to get that right, and already we are looking forward to next year.”
In an interview with Great British Racing, Buick was asked what motivates him and he replied: “Being champion jockey drives me, no question about it.
“I also think that I am at a point in my career where I think why not keep doing it. I enjoy going racing, the winners, the support, and I enjoy being champion jockey.
“The big races, the Classics, the Derbys, the big Group Ones, the festivals and Royal Ascot are the pinnacle of the sport and that is how we showcase ourselves and the best horses.
“Being champion jockey is great and it should be on everyone’s list, but I have been privileged to race in the big meetings for a while as well and those are the moments that sell our sport.”
Buick was one of four jockeys to ride over a century of winners in the title race, which runs from May 6 to October 21, with Murphy, Rossa Ryan and Tom Marquand the others.
Art Power did it the hard way as he bravely denied Frankie Dettori and Kinross back-to-back victories in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.
Making his fifth appearance in this contest, Tim Easterby’s gallant grey was away quickly in the hands of David Allan and soon blazing a trail on the front-end.
Having tracked the pace aboard Kinross, Dettori was nudging his mount into contention two furlongs from home, with a repeat of last year’s race victory looking likely as the stamina of Ralph Beckett’s six-year-old took him to the front inside the final furlong.
However, Art Power refused to lie down and he showed supreme guts to fight back and land a British Champions Day shock at 40-1 and also provide his pilot with a first Group One on British soil.
Hayley Turner made it safely to Ascot for Qipco British Champions Day after requiring a dramatic rescue from her flooded car on Friday.
The record-breaking rider is currently hunting down her 1,000th career victory and was hoping to arrive in Berkshire on 999 winners with a fancied ride on Docklands in the closing Balmoral Handicap.
Turner was expecting to ride Run Zarak Run at Redcar on Friday – but never made it to the north-east track after having to place an emergency call when her car was swamped in the midst of Storm Babet.
While Turner emerged unscathed, Run Zarak Run duly romped home under replacement PJ McDonald to add to her woes.
She told ITV Racing: “My dream was nearly in place, but I had a bit of an incident yesterday. Basically my car is floating down the Great North Road somewhere on my way to Redcar.
“I had to call 999 and get the fireman to come and rescue me – I actually got a fireman’s lift out of my car window!
“The horse then won about 15 lengths so a very frustrating day. I’m car-less and win-less as well.”
Frankie Dettori kicked off British Champions Day with a bang by steering Trawlerman to a thrilling victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
On the day billed as his final day riding in Europe before heading overseas, the Italian rolled back the years to not only dazzle at Ascot once more, but also register yet another big-race victory in the royal blue silks of Godolphin.
The 52-year-old was eager throughout to not let the outsider Maxident have too much rope on the front end and was the only one to chase Dominic Ffrench Davis’ charge aboard the 9-1 chance, as Owen Lewis pushed the tempo heading downhill.
Having pursued Maxident and hit the front four furlongs from home, Trawlerman was passed by Aidan O’Brien’s staying star Kyprios rounding the home bend with Ryan Moore soon searching for the winning post.
However, Dettori switched his mount and asked for extra and he bravely battled back to haul in Kyprios and prevail by a neck.
It was a third straight victory for John and Thady Gosden’s stayer, who was third in this race 12 months ago, and for Dettori it was the perfect start to his goodbye to British racing.
Dettori said: “I heard the roar of the crowd – oh my god it was special – especially when I was cutting him back, I couldn’t believe it.
“I’ve beaten one of my greatest rivals who I have tremendous respect for in Ryan Moore, on my final day. Sensational.
“He passed me comfortably and I thought he was going to go and win by 20 lengths, but once he didn’t get away from me I thought I maybe had a little bit left. In fairness to the horse he kept going.”
Frankie Dettori’s farewell to Britain got off to a perfect start, as Trawlerman battled back gamely for victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.
The Italian is enjoying his final afternoon in European action before moving to America – and the first of his five rides ensured racegoers could enjoy a famous flying dismount.
Trawlerman (9-1) was left in front around half a mile from home in the two-mile affair, as pacesetting Maxident dropped away sharply.
Dettori looked a sitting duck as 11-10 favourite Kyprios reeled him in down the straight, passing him with two furlongs to run, but Dettori had saved something and showed all his skill in mounting another challenge.
Reining his mount back in, he switched to Kyprios’ outside and Trawlerman stuck his head out on the line to grab victory.
Ancient Wisdom, impressive winner of the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket last week, is to be supplemented for next Saturday’s Kameko Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Dubawi colt improved his record to three wins from four outings with a dominant display on the Rowley Mile.
His sole defeat came at the hands of Richard Hannon’s subsequent Prix Jean- Luc Lagadere winner Rosallion in an Ascot Listed race in July.
Following a workout on Saturday morning, he impressed Appleby sufficiently enough to book a ticket to the final Group One of the UK season.
A post on X, formerly known as Twitter, from Godolphin, read: “Ancient Wisdom, brilliant winner of the Group Three Autumn Stakes on Future Champions Day @NewmarketRace, worked well this morning and the intention is to supplement him for next weekends Group One Futurity Stakes @DoncasterRaces.”
Having managed to pull a full 23-member squad out of the hat, interim Reggae Girlz Head coach Xavier Gilbert is now cautiously optimistic about their chances of springing another surprise in the upcoming Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup qualifying fixtures against Panama and Guatemala.
Gilbert, who was appointed late Thursday, skipped his first hurdle by securing the services of a fairly youthful squad, which also includes some out-of-favour experienced players for the games scheduled for October 25 and 29 respectively.
However, the second hurdle remains the fact that Gilbert has a short window to try and achieve some semblance of cohesiveness with his new squad, as they are scheduled to arrive in Panama on Monday and will train on Tuesday, with the game scheduled for Wednesday. They will then return to Jamaica on Thursday to host Guatemala on Sunday.
“Yeah, it is tough, and I always knew it will be a difficult task but that’s the thing with these FIFA windows and how we manage ourselves will be important at the end of the day,” Gilbert told SportsMax.TV.
“The good thing for us is that we have individuals who understand and know what we have to focus on. So, it is good that we managed to find persons and it is also an opportunity for the younger players to showcase their talent and secure themselves a spot in future camps to come,” he added.
Gilbert’s squad includes a new call up in 32-year-old England-born Melissa Johnson of Charlton Athletic, while Canadian-born Israela Groves, 24, who is also up to earn her first international cap, was a part of the senior Reggae Girlz training camp in Florida earlier this year.
Meanwhile, 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup veterans Marlo Sweatman and Chinyelu Asher highlight the more senior players, along with goalkeeper Chris-Ann Chambers, Jayda Hylton-Pelaia, Alika Keene and twins, Malikae and Mikayla Dayes. The remainder of the team comprises mostly Under-20 representatives now transitioning to the senior level.
The coach’s predicament stems from the fact that all 22 members of the successful 2023 World Cup squad have made themselves unavailable, while Cheyna Matthews has retired.
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in a release on Friday, announced the suspension of selection for all 22 players until they meet with the federation's hierarchy to resolve all issues regarding payments among other things.
“It is what it is, I can’t control some of the variables, so I just have to control what I can. At this point in time, we managed to assemble a squad and we must give credit to the ladies who have accepted the offer to represent their country on short notice and we just want to build on that,” Gilbert, who is still without an assistant said.
“We have a lot of players who will be earning their first caps so again, it is an opportunity for them to show the world what they have to offer, and we just hope that they will make full use of it. It is going to be difficult against two tough oppositions, but we are hopeful that we can do what we have to, to ensure we get two positive results,” he noted.
Gilbert pointed to the fact that fitness will not be much of a concern with the selected players as his biggest positive as it will allow him to jump straight into technical and tactical work when they arrive in Panama.
“The good thing is that all the players are currently active with their clubs and colleges, that was of some concern, but these players are coming in with games under their belts which is a positive. So again, we just hope that we can get them together as soon as possible and manage to squeeze out some results,” he ended.
Following the opening fixtures, the 37th-ranked Reggae Girlz will then host Panama on November 29 and close away to Guatemala on December 3.
Squad- Chris-Ann Chambers (Dinamo Sokhumi); Javanae Jones (ultnomah University); Lauren Reid (University of Maryland); Malikae Dayes (AAB (Denmark); Zoe Vidaurre (George Mason University); Nevillegail Able (University of Maine at Fort Kent); Chinyelu Asher (SCU Torreense); Alika Keene (SK Slavia Praha Zeny); Israela Groves (London City Lionesses); Ricshya Walker (LaSalle University); Marlo Sweatman (Viktoria Haladas); Christina Salmon (William Carey University); Davia Richards (Hill College); Mikayla Dayes (Rodez AF (France); Shaneil Buckley (Frazsiers Whip); Natoya Atkinson (Seaward County); Destiny Powell (Frazsiers Whip); Melissa Johnson (Charlton Athletic Women FC); Sydnie Street (Seneca College); Jayda Hylton-Pelaia (Woodbridge Strikers); Alliyah Morgan (George Mason University); Shanhaine Nelson (Cavaliers); Tyiesha Nelson (Reinas Academy)
The leg-spin of Javed Leacock proved too good for Jamaica Scorpions, as he secured career-best figures of four wickets for 43 runs to lead Barbados Pride to a 47-run win in their CG United Super50 Cup contest at the Frank Worrell Field in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday.
Batting first, Shamarh Brooks (69) and Shai Hope (65), both posted half-centuries in leading Barbados Pride to 259, after which Leacock’s skill with the ball, trumped a brisk 94 from Jamaica Scorpions wicketkeeper/batsman Chadwick Walton and condemned the reigning champions to a second consecutive defeat.
Scores: Barbados Pride 258-6 (50 overs); Jamaica Scorpions 211 all out (44.3 overs)
Walton smashed six fours and six maximums in his 112-ball knock with Jeavor Royal contributing a 34-ball 44, while Jermaine Blackwood made a patient 30 off 49 balls in the Scorpions failed attempt to overhaul their target on this occasion. In their opening contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes, they lost by eight wickets after posting a paltry total.
Blackwood, West Indies Test vice-captain, had four boundaries in his knock, while Royal had four sixes and one four in his late flurry.
Leacock, playing only his sixth List “A” match, required only eight overs to do the damage, as he accounted for Walton, captain Rovman Powell (zero), Shalome Powell (zero) and Fabian Allen (two).
This, as left-arm pacer Dominic Drakes, two for 14 from 3.3 overs, and Roston Chase, two for 37 from eight overs, took out the Scorpions middle order.
Earlier, the Pride, last year’s beaten semi-finalists had a slight stutter at the start, as they lost opener Kyle Mayers (one) with just four runs on the board.
However, West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Brooks steadied the innings with an 88-run stand, before the former fell for a 78-ball 45 which included two boundaries.
Brooks, who had three fours and one six in his 89-ball knock, formed another partnership worth 88 runs with West Indies One-day International captain Hope, whose 76-ball innings included four fours and one six.
There was another stutter after both fell, but Drakes hammered two fours and three sixes in 18-ball cameo to end unbeaten on 40 and, more importantly, saw Pride to what turned out to be a winning target.
Parnell had two wickets for 33 runs, and Gordon, two wickets for 41 runs for the Scorpions.
The tournament continues with a double-header on Saturday when Leeward Islands face West Indies Academy at Queen’s Park Oval and Guyana Harpy Eagles meet Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in a day-night contest. The games are scheduled to begin at 9:00am and 1:00pm respectively.
In his continuing drive to build a career after he retires from track and field, Yohan Blake on Friday launched his brand of water, Revierie Purified Water, at the AC Hotel in Kingston.
The brand will officially hit the market on November 1 with plans already in place to target markets overseas, especially in the Diaspora, the Caribbean and China where the 2011 World 100m champion continues to be a popular figure.
The broader plan is to align the Reviere brand with Jamaican/Caribbean sport, culture and life making it the water of choice for “home, healing, training, the gym, rehearsals, events and everyone’s life essential drink of water.”
Blake and his team have already planned an aggressive marketing strategy to break into the market. They have ready ads for television and social media featuring Blake and the brand’s ambassador, dancehall icon Bounty Killer and one for social media.
The world champion’s image appears on each bottle of water, which his team believes will help to connect the brand with consumers.
Speaking with Sportsmax.TV, Blake said launching his own brand of water is a big deal.
“It is really big for me. It is really going to change the market in the way not just how people see water, but see me on the bottle knowing that through my hard work this water is on the market and me looking to go into a different venture,” he said.
The beloved athlete also drew praise from business partner Stephen Steele of iPrint Digital and Outdoor Advertising, who urged everyone to support Blake in this new venture.
Speaking on behalf of Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Advisor Lenford Salmon lauded the second fastest man for his dive into entrepreneurship and described him as an example for others to follow.
“The minister particularly wanted me to highlight the fact that for a young man, a young athlete, and we at the Ministry of Culture regard sports as physical culture. So we regard it as a part of the culture and in the day of bling where artists, too many of them and our athletes make some money, sometimes it’s not even a whole heap, but when they make some income they don’t plow it back, they go for the bling,” Salmon said.
“They go for fast cars, they party every night, they go for top-shelf liquor, without looking to see how they’re going to secure their future. And we’ve been watching you and we’re seeing your business ventures, we’ve seen all you have been doing to set an example for athletes and for people, generally, in what we call physical culture and culture and we want to use this opportunity of you starting another business venture and hold you up as that kind of example which we want others to follow.”
Roger Varian only has one runner on British Champions Day – but it is a headline one and he is happy to feel a bit of pressure ahead of King Of Steel’s bid for glory in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
Runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Derby at Epsom, the giant grey went on to win the King Edward VII Stakes over 12 furlongs at the Royal meeting, as well as run with great credit in the King George and the Irish Champion Stakes.
He now tries again to secure his first top-level success and given he is Frankie Dettori’s final mount on his last afternoon in European action, there is an extra expectation on his team. But Varian is happy to be part of one of the Flat calendar’s marquee events.
“It’s a day you want to be involved in,” he said.
“Unfortunately we have only got the one runner this year, but we have done well at the meeting in the past. We’ve won the Balmoral once or twice and the last two years we’ve picked up Group One races and we would love to come home with a big prize again this year.
“We’re looking forward to it and it’s exciting. You feel a bit of pressure on the day because you should do, it matters, it’s a big deal. He’s a good horse and we want him to win a big race.
“There will be a little bit of pressure on the day, but that comes with being represented by one of the fancied horses in one of the big races. It’s a position we want to be in and we’re looking forward to it.”
King Of Steel was beaten just a length when dropping to back to a mile and a quarter in the Irish Champion Stakes and Varian is taking heart from a return to Ascot.
“We’ve been very happy with him since Leopardstown,” he said.
“We’ve consciously spread his races out, but he’s had hard races because he’s been racing at the top level and he’s not run a bad race all year.
“Saturday won’t be any easier, it’s a tough field assembled, but he very much deserves to be in the race and we think the stiff 10 furlongs will help him
“I think we can gain some confidence and positivity, but in fairness he’s gone left-handed, he’s gone right-handed, he’s gone up and down Epsom and he’s handled Leopardstown.
“Neither of them are easy tracks and he’s also gone well at Ascot, so I would say he’s an agile horse who is versatile in terms of what kind of track he runs on.
“Yes, it’s nice to know he has run well at Ascot previously, but I suppose any track would not concern me too much knowing the horse.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf was ridden to victory by Dettori in the Juddmonte International at York in the absence of the suspended Jim Crowley.
Crowley is back this weekend and Mostahdaf’s connections were certainly pleased the race has been moved to the inner course given his dislike of testing ground.
“John Gosden and I will walk the course in the morning. We’re very keen to run, it’s not his favoured surface, we know that, but we’ve got to make sure it’s not too soft,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.
“I realise there are other people who disagree, but from our point of view switching the courses has to help and from the race’s point of view, as a spectacle, you want the best horses so to attract them you have to run it on the best ground possible. I don’t think the soft ground horses will be inconvenienced anyway.
“We’d be lying if we thought he’d do what he did in Saudi (won by seven lengths) and since then he’s won the two top 10-furlong races on the calendar.
“It was probably our fault he hadn’t been able to show how good he was. He did only lose once at three, but we tried stretching him out to a mile and a half (last year). Clearly 10 furlongs is his trip.”
Last year’s winner Bay Bridge has perhaps not had the season anticipated by connections but Sir Michael Stoute’s five-year-old ran with credit when sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Assistant trainer James Savage said: “We’ve been very pleased with how Bay Bridge came out of the Arc, which was a tough race on ground that dried out throughout the day. He’s been working well since and he’s in good order.
“He ran well at Longchamp and was only beaten about six lengths, having done a little bit too much in Richard’s (Kingscote) hands in the early and middle parts of the race. We are pretty sure he stayed the mile and a half, as he did at Kempton, but you’d have to say that going back to Ascot in conditions we’ve been waiting for all year, he’d have a great shout.”
Horizon Dore has made giant strides this season and is among the favourites after winning the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend, his fourth successive victory.
The gelding is trained by Patrice Cottier and partly-owned by Le Haras De La Gousserie, whose manager Pauline Chehboub told Sky Sports Racing: “He is doing well, he is in good form with some freshness. The trainer is very happy with him and we can’t wait to watch him on the track again.
“He is stronger than at the start of the season. He needed time this year so we chose to stay in France for the first part of the season, with success, and now it’s time to travel and see him at Group One level.
“Just after his win in the Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in July, (when) he showed plenty of acceleration, we chose to target Champions Day for the end of the year and now we are excited to go.”
George Boughey’s Via Sistina is another in the mix having run with credit all season. Connections plumped for this race rather than the QEII and there would be nothing better than victory in the final British Champions Series race of the year.
“Although she was in both races this has been the plan for her for a long time,” said Boughey.
“I think 10 furlongs is her optimum, and we know that she’s ground-versatile as she won the Pretty Polly on arguably the fastest ground she has ever run on, having previously impressed on soft ground in the Dahlia.
“She looks amazing for this time of year and her best performances come after a break, which she’s had since Deauville two months ago. Oisin (Murphy) already knows her well, having ridden her work when she was with Joe (Tuite). She’s a very high level performer and Oisin is a very good replacement for Jamie (Spencer), who has other commitments.”
Bracken’s Laugh could give Richard Hughes plenty to dream about over the winter when he runs in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.
The Zoffany colt made an immediate impression when debuting at Newbury in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Novice Stakes, moving through the race stylishly before keeping on past some experienced rivals.
He is now both upped in trip and class as he heads to France for a Group One contest his trainer knows plenty about, having won the race as a jockey aboard Sir Henry Cecil’s Passage Of Time.
“He’s a lovely horse and we think a lot of him,” said Hughes.
“It’s a big ask going into such a race on just your second start, but that’s why I ran him in a winner’s race at Newbury.
“He needed to run in a proper race to prove himself and I feel he did that on the day, he made up a two or three lengths on a couple of winners and won well at the line and he proved he goes on the heavy ground.”
Owned by Bernardine and Sean Mulryan, Bracken’s Laugh cost connections 200,000 guineas earlier in the year and Hughes feels he has a horse of huge potential under his care as he prepares to ask a stern question of his exciting young prospect.
He added: “When you spend 200,000 on a horse you hope you are buying a superstar and I stuck my neck on the line for this fella. He’s a huge horse and he did a very good breeze back in May when he shouldn’t have been able.
“He’s got an abundance of pace and he’s bred to stay a minimum of a mile and a half – he’s a three-parts brother to Getaway.
“I feel I have ticked all the boxes other than having only run once, but then Aidan O’Brien’s horses have only run once as well. There’s only seven runners so it’s not a big field and we have a lovely draw and I’m really looking forward to watching this horse run.”
Joseph O’Brien’s Islandsinthestream finished second to Henry Longfellow in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes before scoring at Longchamp last time, while there is an American feel to Aidan O’Brien’s two runners as he saddles both Illinois and Los Angeles.
The former will be ridden for the first time by Ryan Moore, with Seamie Heffernan doing the steering when making a taking debut at the Curragh earlier this month.
Moore told Betfair: “I wasn’t on Illinois when he won at the Curragh on his debut, but everyone seemed very impressed by him. And understandably so. That came over nine furlongs in soft ground, so you’d have to think this test will suit him.
“He is another exciting middle-distance prospect for next season and let’s hope he keeps his unbeaten tag in place, going in over the winter.”
Meanwhile Los Angeles was equally impressive, earning himself quotes for next year’s Classics when a convincing winner at Tipperary first time out.
“He was also dominant when winning over nine furlongs on his debut at Tipperary,” continued Moore.
“This Camelot colt obviously has great potential, and a win for either of ours would not surprise me, for all Islandsinthestream and Shiffrin probably set the standard.”
Nicolas Le Roch’s Shiffrin heads the French assault having won Chantilly’s Prix de Conde last month, while the unbeaten Casapueblo and Christopher Head’s Ramadan will also head to post for a competitive affair.
The Champagne Stakes form will be put to the test once again in the other Group One on the card, the Criterium International, where David Menuisier’s Sunway attempts to go one better than his Doncaster second.
Richard Hannon’s Rosallion has already boosted that race when claiming the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend and now Sunway gets his shot at a top-level prize.
“I think he earned his berth in the race when he ran so well in the Champagne Stakes,” said Menuisier.
“He beat the winner of the Lagardere that day, albeit on different ground conditions obviously.”
Chief among the opposition is Andre Fabre’s Alcantor who has won three of his four starts and is a horse Menuisier already knows plenty about.
As well as accounting for French-based rivals Saganti (Mikel Delzangles) and Havana Cigar (Jean-Claude Rouget) when impressing at Saint-Cloud last time, he also had Menuisier’s Devil’s Point held back in fourth and the British-based Frenchman is respectful of the opposition lying in wait for Sunway.
He added: “It’s the form line of the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud when we finished fourth with Devil’s Point and Andre Fabre’s horse looks really good.
“We respect the opposition but the horse is really well and I’m counting on him for a big run.”
Navy Seal and Portland will represent Ballydoyle, with Patrice Cottier’s Grey Man completing the line-up.
Alan King is under no illusions about the task facing Trueshan as he prepares to lock horns with the formidable Kyprios in his bid for a fourth victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
Trueshan was a brilliant winner of the Champions Day curtain-raiser in 2020 and has knuckled down in each of the past two seasons to complete the hat-trick.
There were some suggestions the seven-year-old was past his best after he was beaten in his first two starts this year, but subsequent victories in the Doncaster Cup and particularly when winning the Prix du Cadran three weeks ago suggest he is back to his best.
King said: “I’m very happy with him, he came out of the Cadran in great form and everything has gone according to plan really.
“The ground looks like it should be nice and soft and we can’t do any more.
“Not many horses get to come back for the same race three years running, let alone four, and getting him back to form to win at Doncaster and Longchamp has been very satisfying.”
While confident he has his stable star in rude health, King is wary of the the threat posed by Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios, who last season won the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger before a scarcely believable 20-length demolition job in the Cadran.
The five-year-old missed the first half of the current campaign through injury, but King feels there was plenty of promise on his comeback second to Eldar Eldarov in last month’s Irish Leger.
He added: “I thought he ran very well against a mile-and-six specialist the other day. That is Eldar Eldarov’s trip and I would have thought that was a very good comeback for him (Kyprios).”
Hollie Doyle has steered Trueshan to each of his three previous wins in the race is optimistic he can make it a four-timer on Saturday.
“He’s been such a great horse for everyone – for me, for Alan, for the owners and for the whole team at home. He never lets anyone down,” she said.
“He’s staged quite a comeback this year and proved a lot of people wrong by winning the Doncaster Cup and the Prix du Cadran again.
“A fourth win here would be incredible, but it could definitely happen as he feels as good as ever.”
O’Brien is confident Kyprios will take a big step forward from his Irish St Leger effort, telling Sky Sports Racing: “He was barely ready to go away for a racecourse gallop really, so we were delighted with the run and everything has gone smoothly since.
“He has an incredible capacity as a stayer. He’s able to go an unbelievable gallop and just keeps going. That was what happened in the Cadran last year – it just shows the kind of ability he has.”
Andrew Balding’s Coltrane was beaten a head by Trueshan 12 months ago, but failed to fire when a hot favourite to beat him in the Doncaster Cup last month.
Balding said: “Coltrane ran a hell of a race last year. It was a rare poor race (he ran) last time, and nothing came to light afterwards, but he’s entitled to run a poor one once in a while.”
John Gosden was forced to rule out his Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami earlier in the week but is nevertheless well represented, with Robert Havlin partnering Doncaster Cup runner-up Sweet William and Frankie Dettori aboard Trawlerman, winner of his last two starts.
“It looks like a good edition of the Long Distance Cup, in which Trawlerman and Sweet William are our runners, as Courage Mon Ami had a little niggle,” said Gosden.
“Trawlerman ran in the Long Distance Cup last year, finishing third, and he’s been an easy winner of both his races since he came back, at Salisbury and Newmarket. He’s in good form.”
O’Brien’s second-string Broome, the Willie Mullins-trained Stratum and Maxident from the Dominic Ffrench Davis yard complete the line-up.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
